Brake-beam strut.



Q Wu H 5 m 2 AM w W. Z T h A M m0 m m t m MN 0 J J. M. ROHLFINIL BRAKE BEAM STRUT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12. 1912'.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFIGE.

JOHN M. ltUfiLlslNG, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, AS SIGNOR BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO CHICAGO RAIIFWAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, A COB-PQBAT'ION OF ILLINOIS.

BRAKE--BEAM STRUT.

Specification of Letters Ia'tent.

Patented May 25, 1915.

Original applications filed June 24, 1911, Serial K055635318 211116352219. Divided and. this application filed September 12, 1912. Serial No. 720,027.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN M. ROIILFING,

-residing at 915 Olive street, St. Louis, Misillustrate the preferred form of the invcntion, though it is to be understood that the invention is not-limited tothe exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof will occur to persons skilled in the art.

In said drawings: Figure 1, is a. fragmentary plan view of a portion of a brake beam sl'lowing a. preferred embodiment ,of my invention in position thereon. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the strut employed be tween the intermediate portion of the stress members, the latter shown in section; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View of the same taken on a, plane indicatcdby the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and looking in the direction indicated by the arrow. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2,-but showing a modified form of strut and connection, and Fig. 5is a View similar to Fig. 3, but taken on the line of Fig. 4. 0

My invention relates in general to a strut for trusses, and particularly relates to such a member disposed between the stress element of the brake beam in our construction.

it is desirable in car construction tounify and simplytbc structural parts so as to reduce tie number of repair partsnecessary to have on hand, and it has heretofore been necessary to carry two kinds of brake beam struts, one for the right and one for the left hand brake lever for inside and outside hung brakes.

It is an object of this invention to construct a brake beam strut so formed that castings from the same pattern may be used in the construction of brake beams adapted for use either upon the front or rear sides of a car truck.

A still further object of my invention is to provide in a device of the above outlined character, means for frictionally and positively holding the strut in position relative to the stress members.

I attain the above outlined objects by providing a strut the ends of which are substantia-lly alike, and provided with seats for the compression and tension members of the brake beam, whereby thestrut is reversible, end for end, so as to bring the usual diagonally disposed bearing pocket of the brake lever into position inclined in either direction from the vertical.

My invention also includes means co-actingwith either end of the strut, for securing the same frictionally to the compression or channel member, and also includes means for positively connecting either end of the strut to the compression member.

Referring to the drawings by numerals: 1, indicates the compression member and 2 the tension member of the beam. The compression member may be straight throughout its length, but is preferably slightly bowed, and comprises a channel section arranged with its web standing vertical, and its flanges turned inwardly, that is toward the tension member. The tension member comprises an element with its opposite ends disposed adjacent the opposite ends of the compression memberand with its central portion spaced away from the compression member.

In order ,that the strut between the stress members May be reversible and interchangeable, it ."comprises a casting 3, formed with its ends' identical, and each comprising a yoke 4. The yoke 4, at one end straddles the tension member 2, in the illustration shown to be a round rod, or diflerent in cross sectional area from that of the compression member, and is thereby held from displace ment on said tension member, due to the holding of the same in the pocket formed between the bifurcated yoke .within the lines of the pocket for the compression member. The legs of the yoke at the opposite end fit snugly between the flanges of the compression member, the end faces and the inclined faces of the yoke affording a seat for the j channel iron, and as shown has the inner walls of its flanges converging toward the web of the channehthere istherebyatlorded" a wedgin action between the outer beveled faces of t e yoke, and the inner faces of the flanges of the channel, this construction affording an arrangement by which a blow of a hammer on the strut will firmly wedge one end of the same betweenthe flanges of thechannel member.- To more positively prevent movement of the strut 3, longitudinally of the compression member a pair of rivets 5 are extended through alined apertures 66 in the flanges of said compression memher and in the end portion of the strut. A U-bolt 7 is extended through the apertures 6. at theopposite end of the strutbridging' some-distance short of the ends thereof, so

as to provide the solid head portion 3" integral with the body portion. Each head portion may be reinforced by means of the longitudinally and outwardly extending ribs 3 forming, as shown in dotted lines Figs. 3 and 5, a cruciform braced wall,

which adds materially to the strengthof the strut as a column.

In the modification shown in Figs and 5 there is substituted for the rivets 5, a strap 5 which is fitted about the outside of the compression member and has its opposite ends bent toward each other as at 6 and engaging behind shoulders 7 -7 formed upon upper and lowersides of the strut 3. The strap 5' is riveted to the web of the compression member as at15 and the I rivet or rivets. The opposite ends of the' hollow of the yoke 4, at this end of the strut, is adapted to receive the head of said strap 5' are fixed rigidly to the end of the strut by binding members 9-9 fitted over the outer surfaces of the ends of said strap and bent to fit against opposite sides of the strut, as at 10-10, being secu'redby bolts Iii-11, extending through the bent portions of said members 9, and through the strut. The extreme ends of each of the members 9 are bent outwardly as at 12-12 and serve to lock the nuts of the bolts 11-'-11.

The device herein disclosed has the usual single pin hole 13 although applicant may of course make use of two pin holes if deshed, and it will be understood that the strut may be reversed s ing, as shown in the dotted lines a; in Fig. 2, will be taken up bythe changed position of the strut, and the unworn wall 6 of the pin fixed to opposite sides of said strut.

that any wear which might have occurre in the pin open opening will now be located in front ofthe pintdfreceive the strain and wear.

With this construction, it will be apparent that castings from the )same pattern may, be used with either of its ends fixed to the compression member thus disposing,

the diagonal pocket 8 to right or left 9.0-

cording as one or the other end-is fixed to said member. The inventioncontemplates a strut havbers of difierent cross sectional areas at 'each end which enables it to be reversed for right or left handbrake levers either in" the repair of beam, or in changing beams from areas'at each end, said strut also having an:

- 76 mg seats for tension and compression mcmangulated brake leverslot whereby it may be reversed and used for right or left hand beam. 2. A strut having seats for the-compression and tension members at the same. end.

3. 'A strut having seats for the compression and tensionmembers atboth ends. 4. A brake beam comprising-a compression member and a'tension member, a strut between said members, a strap embracing one of said members and having, one of its:

ends extended over said strut, and abinding' member pngaging said end and being 5'. A brake beam comprising a compression member and a tension member, a strut between said members, a strap embracing one of said members and having'one of its ends extended over said strut,- a binding member engagin said end and being bent upon opposite si es of said strut, and means extending through said strut for fixing said binding member to said strut.

6. A strut having two seats. at each end,

one being 'withinthe lines of the other.

'7, A reversible strut having seats at each end for interchangeably receiving either thecompression or tension member.- 8. A brake beam comprising compression and tension members of different sectlonal areas, and'a strut between said member said strut being formed with a pluralityo seats at each end so as to be reversible to accommodate the compression or tension member at either end. I

9. A brake beam com rising'compression and tension members 0 difi'erent'sectional areas, and a strut between said members said strut being formed with, a plurality 0 seats at its opposite ends so as to be re-f versible and when reversed to properly c0- operate with said members.

10. A. brake beam comprising a channel compression member ands tension meinber in the form of a rod, a strut between said members, said strut being formed identical at each end so as to be reversible and to cooperate with. the channel compression mem-' her and tension rod in either position.

11. A brake beam comprising a channel compression member and a tension rod, 9. strut between said members, said strut having an angulated lever slot and being formed identical at each end-whereby said strut may be reversed to changethe angularity of said lever slot. 1

12. A strut having seats for tension and compression members at each end,- the seat for the tension memberbeing located within the seat for the compression member, and the seat for the compression member providing tapering surfaces for cooperating with the legs of the compression member.

13. A reversiblestrut having seats for the compression and tension members at each end and fastening means cdnnecting said strut with one of said members.

14. A reversible strut having seats for the compression and tension members at each end and locking means connecting said strut with one of said members.

15. A reversible strut having seats for the compression and tension members at each end and a strap connected to one end of said strut and adapted to straddle the compression member.

16. A reversible strut the compression and tension members at each end and a strap connected to one end of said strut adapted to straddle the compression member and means maintaining said strap in engagement with said compression member.

17. A reversible strut having seats at each having seats for end forinterchangeably receiving either the in hand in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN M. ROHLFING. 

